Aristotle's Approach

Aristotle's approach is very controversial, So it is not discussed in The Different Approaches in Knowledge Development, but in a seperated article here. 

Euclid's and Newton's theories are still mainly correct, although with some problems. They are just limited in the extent they could be applied. However, Aristotle's approach might be wrong.

Although Aristotle adored Socrates, he is a student of Plato, and Plato is a student of Socrates, their approaches are very different. As said, Socrates asked people including himself to admit their ignorance, which is important to knowledge development, but offensive to many people. Eventually Socrates was voted to death under accumulated anger.

However, Aristotle talked like he knew everything. His attitude suggested if others learn from him, they also could know everything, which was very pleasant. So he attracted many financial supports.

Unfortunately, many of what he taught were wrong. His huge volumns The Physics shows Aritotle did not really know Physics. Actually after his famous student Alexander conquered much of the East, Alexander found many of Aristotle taught were wrong.

Aristotle also studied ethics. However, he suggested Alexander to be "a despot to the barbarians ... and to deal with the latter as with beasts or plants". He complained Alexander's pretense of divinity later. However, a conquerer being a despot to the barbarians, and to deal with the latter as with beasts or plants, would naturally lead to pretense of divinity.  It is normal psychology. It is Aristotle who taught these.

Alexander once said: "If I were not Alexander, then I should wish to be Diogenes" (Diogenes is one of cynicism philosophers, who promoted ethics). He did not say: "If I were not Alexander, then I should wish to be Aristotle".

Fair to say, Aristotle is a main contributor to early logic studies. However, his geocentric view and his introduction of a flying arrow is at rest, shows such logic is very shallow. Aristotle did not know how to apply logic correctly. It is Euclid who showed how logic works. Actually a simple experiment could be designed at Aristotle's time to show the main argument of geocentric view is wrong.

Pythagoras is very insightful in mathematics, philosophy, religious practices and beliefs. Plato developed the philosophy in his style to maturity. Socrates and Stoicism knew the ways to develop rationale and ethics. Socrates even accepted the death to show his ethics view. Euclid and Archimedes designed theoretic and real systems in rigorous ways. They all made big contributions to the development of knowledge systems.

Frankly speaking, Aristotle's main contribution is in zoology, but not much even in botany. He did not know Physics, he did not know how to apply logic correctly.